2019 Saga Dawa Festival

2019 Saga Dawa Festival

Saga Dawa Festival is the most important annual festival in Tibet. The 15th day of the 4th month in the Tibetan calendar is the day that Buddha Sakyamuni was born and also the day he attained Nirvana. During this period, Tibetans go to this area of Mt. Kailash, two or even three weeks before this date. During this time, the giant flagpole at Tarpoche is ritually taken down and prayer flags replace it. During the flagpole ceremony, as the pole’s tip is raised and pointed east toward Gyangdrak monastery, monks of that monastery perform a special ritual. Music from long trumpets, conch shells, and other instruments welcome the rising flagpole.

2019 June 10, Arrive in Lhasa

Arrive in Lhasa airport, meet your guide, and then drive to your hotel. En route, we’ll visit to Nie-Tang Buddha, a Buddha image engraved in the face of the mountain. In the afternoon we’ll take a walk to Norbulingkar, the former summer palace of Dalai Lama.

2019 June 11, Lhasa

We’ll visit Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Barkhor Street.Potala Palace , the winter palace of the Dalai Lama dominates the skyline of Lhassa atop the crest of Marpo Ri hill, the seventh-century Potala is considered Lhasa’s holiest destination for a pilgrimage. Going up the hill, a stone path leads to the 14-story, 1,000-room. Each day, thousands of pilgrims give the prayer wheels a clockwise spin as they make their way to the entrance.
The Jokhang Temple is the home of the statutes of the revered Buddha, Shakyamuni. While all Buddhist statues are adorned with colorful brocade, pearls, turquoise, coral, and silver, solid gold bowls of holy water rest before Shakyamuni as well as offerings of Yuan (money) and khatas (scarves) left by pilgrims.

2019 June 12, Lhasa

Visit Sera, Drepung, and Nechung monasteries.Sera Monastery, one of the Six Great Monasteries of Gelug Pa, located at the foot of Hill Tatipu. It is as prestigious as Drepung and Ganden, which had a longer history. Sera in Tibetan means “Wild Rose Garden” since opulent wild rose woods once grew around it.Drepung monastery once housed 10,000 monks and if we’re lucky, we’ll ease into a dark columned hall to see and hear the lilting, booming chanting of the sutras, or sit under a willow tree and watch the monks engage in theatrical debate.
Nechung Monastery the seat of Nechung, Tibet’s State Oracle. Major decisions of the state are made in consultation with the Nechung Oracle.

2019 June 13, Lhasa to Shigartse via Gyantse

Depart from Lhasa, the first spot we will reach at after about 2 hours drive is Yamdrok Lake. We will have a unforgettable panorama view of this highland lake at Kangpa La (5,050 meters), then drive to visit Karola glacier via Simila then to Gyantse. There, you’ll visit the Gyantse Palcho monastery and Gyantse Kumbum ; after the visit,drive toward Shigatse for overnight.

2019 June 14, Shigartse to Saga

Today we will enter the West Tibet Plateau, which has an average altitude of 4, 800 meters. This is where the road leads to the “Belly” of the earth that the Buddhist thought about. The first night in West Tibet will be Saga, a small town that provides shelter and food for those pilgrims in the ancient time. Today, it became a modern small town with features of the “wild west.”

Overnight: Local hostel | Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 15, Saga to Manasarovar lake

We will drive to reach the holy lake of Manarsaovar, which is a personification of purity per Hindu theology, and one who drinks water from the lake will go to the Abode of Lord Shiva after death. This holy lake lies at 4,556 meters above sea level making the highest freshwater lake in the world. The lake freezes in the winter and melts in the spring. It is the source of the Sutlej River which is the easternmost tributary of the Indus. Nearby are the sources of the Brahmaputra River, the Indus River, and the Karnali River (Ghaghara) which is an important tributary of the Gangdes River.

Overnight: Local guesthouse| Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 16 Manasarovar Lake to Darchen

It takes about an hour to cover the 30 kilometers from Manasarovar Lake to Darchen , where the trek begins. After arriving at Darchen, get ready for the trek.

Overnight: Local guesthouse| Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 17, Saga Dawa Day

Today is Saga Dawa Festival Day. Darpoche, which is also the start point of the Kailash cora trek, is the place to hold the holy ceremony of Saga Dawa. We will hike from Darchen to Darpoche Witnessing the whole process of Saga Dawa

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2019 June 18, Trek Day 1 -- To Drira Phuk monastery

After witnessing this festival program, we will follow along the Lha-chu valley, where we can see the southern region of Kailash. Load all your gear on the pack animal and walk about 4 to 5 hours by following along with the north bank to the camp that is opposite to Drirapuk Monastery .

Overnight: Local guesthouse| Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 19, Trek Day 2 -- To Zutrul Phuk monastery

Zutrul Phuk monastery is our destination for today. The highest point of the trek of Drolma La pass is about 5,700 meters above sea level. Starting from the camp, the trail is steep, strenuous; the altitude goes up rapidly, approximately 3 or 4 hours needed to cover the ascending distance of 6 kilometers around. When reach top of Drolma la pass, descending southeastward from the pass. This trail is rocky and steep, around 4 kilometers to reach the Lham-chu valley, where we continue southward for about 8 kilometers. Zutrul phuk is located by the trail on the slope of the mountain.

Overnight: Local guesthouse| Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 20, Trek Day 3 -- End the trek, Drive to Hor

In the morning, we’ll walk along Zhong-chu valley heading southwest for about 3 hours, reach a trail junction, where our vehicles wait where we’ll end the Cora trek of Kailash. On our way back we’ll spend the night at Hor village, a small Tibetan village approximately 45 kilometers east of Darchen.

Overnight: Local guesthouse| Breakfast | Lunch and Dinner

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2019 June 21, Hor to Shigatse

During these two days we will drive along the southern route, which we came through and arriving at Shigatse